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| <-[[07 Water Temple]]  |  [[09 Fire Temple]]-> |
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====== 08 Limbo ======

<div right tip>Session \\ 2007-7-03 </div>

===== Apr 24 =====

==== 5am ====

  * [[Pthia]] summons //Nature's Ally// to carry a donation of her portion of supplies to her temple.  [[Khouhn]] also wants to donate but is told he actually still owes the party so he doesn't have anything to donate
  * party goes back to talk to Naga "Ziatien".  She says water in crater safe to pass and that the doomdreamers are distracted
  * we decide to take on fire temple first, so they can't interfere
  * we backtrack to west and then take NE passage (we hadn't finished exploring)
  * head E

==== 6am ====
  * [[Khouhn]] attacked by giant scorpions in ore storage closet but party helps to defeat
  * continue E, find 3 tracks
  * travel N-most track in 2 ore carts ([[Khouhn]] & [[Pthia]] first, then ([[Veelas]], [[Smike]], & [[Thacia]])
  * come to bridge, encounter 5 elves from water temple
  * [[Khouhn]] boasts water temple destroyed--they attack w/ a //lightning bolt// on all but [[Thacia]]
  * [[Pthia]], [[Khouhn]], & [[Thacia]] move in
  * [[Smike]] //fireballs// (catches [[Pthia]], [[Khouhn]], & [[Thacia]])
  * only albino elf remaining, //flies// away
  * [[Pthia]] //flies// after; [[Smike]] //animorphs// into eagle to chase; [[Khouhn]] jumps down to lower tracks & follows
  * eagles [[Smike]] //magic missile//'s, kills elf
  * party regroups on bridge, continue in ore carts
  * opening to left, see 3 dead humanoids & 2 dead squids
  * opening to right, more dead (no equipment)
  * round corner, run into booby-trapped corpse hanging spread-eagle across tunnel...explodes
  * another cave to right, explore
  * [[Veelas]] //arcane eyes//
  * eagle [[Smike]] spots dwarf skeleton w/ map portion.  Map indicates "danger" ahead

<div right tip>Session \\ 2007-7-29</div>

==== 7am ====
  * [[Veelas]] sends arcane eye south along cart track, shoot //light//ed arrow for it to follow
  * eye lost in darkness so party follows
  * reach arrow but are suddenly enshrouded in unnatural darkness
  * attacked by something leathery with tentacles--cloakers?
  * eagle-[[Smike]] tries to fly away, runs into wall
  * [[Khouhn]] & [[Pthia]] slash out into darkness, take out 4 cloakers
  * eagle-[[Smike]] //detects thoughts// to learn there's only one left but can't tell party
  * last cloaker escapes upwards so party works its way back to un-darkened hall
  * eagle-[[Smike]] learns he can communicate w/ [[Veelas]]'s raven.  Tells party to wait until his //animorph// wears off

==== 7:30am ====

{{ http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/MM35_gallery/MM35_PG67a.jpg}}

  * [[Smike]] returns to gnome form, tries to //dispel// darkness to no avail
  * follow tracks one-by-one south through darkened room
  * come to room with lower level to west.  [[Veelas]] sends down //dancing lights//, sees acid burns & opening to north
  * continue south with dancing lights in front
  * attacked by large, shimmering tentacled cat-things (displacer beasts), hard to focus on
  * defeat without too much trouble despite them being hard to hit

<div right tip>Session \\ 2007-7-30</div>

{{ http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/MM35_gallery/MM35_PG138.jpg}}

  * continue south, then west
  * 6 humans and a troll waiting for us in next chamber
  * manage to disperse humans but second troll appears, [[Thacia]] & [[Khouhn]] engage in melee, [[Veelas]] sends in //summon//ed celestial lion
  * suddenly surprised by gray render from side, steps out of hall to north and grabs [[Veelas]]
  * render mauls [[Veelas]], won't let go, [[Veelas]] takes heavy damage
  * [[Pthia]] moves in to heal [[Veelas]] as he's being rended
  * [[Thacia]] lets [[Khouhn]] deal with remaining troll, returns to attack gray render
  * [[Smike]] //animorph//s [[Veelas]] into badger so he can escape but render has too good a hold
  * render activates sigil on body--hasted!
  * whole party trying to free [[Veelas]] and attack render, except [[Khouhn]] fighting troll
  * despite massive blow by [[Thacia]] render cracks badger-[[Veelas]]'s back and spits him to ground
  * [[Pthia]] manages to resuscitate, badger-[[Veelas]] retreats
  * another powerful attack by [[Thacia]] finally brings down render

==== 8am ====
  * healing all around, searching of bodies (nothing interesting found)
  * //rope trick// to recover

<div right tip>Session \\ 2007-8-27 </div>

  * [[Veelas]] opens Bag of Holding to //identify// items, huge distortion tears hole in reality, we all get sucked through Bag of Holding into another dimension
  * party finds themselves floating in space
  * floating islands of different planes all around (earth, air (cloud), fire, water)
  * party starts to fall
  * [[Smike]] //featherfalls// but spell acting up--on first try it bounces outward and affects everybody else.  Works eventually.
  * [[Pthia]] determines we're in Limbo
  * random events keep occurring, creatures popping into and out of existence.  Very chaotic.
  * [[Veelas]] falls into cloud (lost from sight), [[Khouhn]] lands on earth, [[Pthia]] & [[Thacia]] land on another earth island, & [[Smike]] lands in fire (ouch!)
  * [[Khouhn]] tries to jump over to help [[Veelas]] but falls short, ends up floating a few feet away from cloud
  * [[Pthia]] //flies// over to rescue [[Smike]], brings him to [[Thacia]]
  * [[Khouhn]] spontaneously "falls" through cloud
  * [[Pthia]] flies into cloud, finds [[Veelas]] attempting //rope trick// (unsuccessfully), pulls him out
  * [[Veelas]] tries to //summon// celestial hippogriff but gets summoned to celestial plane instead
  * a whale (sans flower pot) falls on [[Smike]], ouch again
  * [[Khouhn]] figures out that falling just requires believing a particular direction is down
  * [[Pthia]] flies off to find Bag of Holding--a way out?
  * [[Smike]], [[Thacia]], & [[Khouhn]] "fall" to safer ground while waiting (hoping) for [[Veelas]] to return
  * they encounter a hostile Red Slaad that goes after [[Smike]] but he hides while [[Thacia]] & [[Khouhn]] dispatch
  * [[Veelas]] returns from celestial plane with a magical lodestone to point the way out and a crazy story about a unicorn and a "cosmic outhouse"
  * party uses the lodestone to find the "outhouse".  Supposed to be guarded by a monster.
  * lodestone wand has writing on it: "//Evil hearts turn on themselves// but the good heart is as the willow in the wind or leaf on the brook: trusting the Alivitar [gods]".  Meaning: "Go with the flow."

<div right tip>Session \\ 2007-9-09 </div>

==== Limbo+3hrs ====
  * find stone walkway in surrounding turmoil of fire & black clouds
  * [[Smike]] sets up //message//, effect is amplified
  * [[Khouhn]] explores stone path (with lava pools to either side), encounters huge rock blocking path, tries to break--it's an earth elemental!
  * [[Khouhn]] tumbles past (further progress blocked by river), flanks as [[Thacia]] rushes in to help
  * [[Khouhn]] moves in to attack but gets knocked into lava pool to side.  Manages to roll into raging torrent of water.  Gets sucked under.
  * [[Thacia]] charges; drives longsword straight into earth elemental's chest. It's moderately wounded.
  * huge fire & water elementals spring up from where [[Khouhn]] touched the lava & river.  The Water and Fire Elementals immediately turn on each other and attack.  The Earth elemental attacks the other elementals when distracted from party.
  * [[Khouhn]] dragged under water, pulled over waterfall.  Sees cave opening to side, catches hold, & climbs in
  * rest of party thinks dwarf is lost, plan to slip by battling elementals //invisibly//
  * [[Pthia]] //air walks//, carries party across river to foot of large earth mound on far side
  * meanwhile, [[Khouhn]] leaves //flamed// copper piece at opening for others to find and proceeds to crawl up tunnel in the dark, //messages// to party what's happened
  * [[Khouhn]] climbs to end of tunnel, estimates he's underneath the earth mound.  Tunnel opens into barrow.  Giant tentacled monster tries to attack so he withdraws into hole and //messages// [[Smike]].
  * party climbs up barrow, looking for entrance, but low roiling clouds obstruct the top of the mound

[[Smike]] throws a rock into the clouds...

The cloud canopy writhes and broils, and a dark inky form billows down.  It shrieks like the wind, and walks upside down upon the clouds, bearing down on you with malevolence.  The stone falls down below it, and a deep rumbling near your feet nearly knocks you down as the barrow shudders.  From the spot where the stone struck the ground, a huge mound of earth emerges from the barrow, dripping sand and dirt as it answers the howling challenge above it with an ancient grinding roar.

There is a tugging on the rope.  It is [[Thacia]].  "Flee!  Lest we get caught in their conflict or they turn their attention to us!  I will guard your retreat!  Go!"

The rest of the party begins to scramble down the barrow.  

A foreign sound rings out, clear and pure like a bell.  Laughter.

"[[Pthia]]!  Stay with the others!  You can be seen!" cries Thacia.

But [[Pthia]] merely stands there, hand  casually out holding on to the unseen rope.

"Be as the willow", she murmurs.  Another tinkle of laughter as she stares in wonder at the raw elemental violence mere steps away from her.

"She's gone mad!" [[Smike]] says, "This place has shattered her weak mind"

"No.  I am not mad," says [[Pthia]], "though this place tests me. Praise [[Mariah]]!  I know the Truth of it."

"The truth of this place is that I'd very much rather be some where else" says [[Veelas]], "so if you could please just come with us"

"Do you not see, [[Veelas]]?" [[Pthia]] beams, "The willow does not create the wind, but guides it through it's branches.  The leaf  does not cause the stream to flow, nor directs its course, but rides it to where it needs to go."

The broiling cloud becomes swirling purple worm, touching down on the barrow.  Dirt is whipped and torn from the ground in a dusty cloud, stinging all with sharp pebbles.

"Creation is the same," she continues over the din. "It has it's own life that is but chaos until it slowly guided into it's real form.  At first all is noise, but it is the ordered and purposed Will and Word that transforms the noise to the Glorious Song."

"This is no time for foolish religious reverie!" hisses [[Smike]].  The echoes of the whisper shout in your minds before his words finish.

The raging dust cloud envelops the huge earthen form, concealing it in the debris.  The vortex edges towards Phia, and great and terrible violence can be heard from within it.

"Please [[Pthia]]," says [[Veelas]], "Be reasonable and tarry here no longer!"

"I share with you Truth and you dismiss it!" says [[Pthia]].  "Very well.  Let me give it to you plainly as you lack the capacity to discern it yourself.    Around you everywhere here is pure and wild magicks, yet you both insist on drawing upon your own instead of harnessing that which is around you.  Stop casting your spells and just temper the wild magicks with your Will and Word.  This is the lesson of the Unicorn, and the aspect of the greater Truth revealed."

"Wait," says [[Smike]].  "Do you mean to say we should stop trying to cast spells we know, and cast spells we don't know?  How do we do that?"

[[Pthia]] shrugs. "We experience truth.  You will just have to try." 

"She may be on to something here," says [[Veelas]].

"Holy Sister," [[Thacia]]'s voice calls out, " you endanger yourself and the rest of  needlessly.  Return to the others so you remain unseen.  We can decide our course in the safety of being hidden.  I will ensure a safe path. "

"Your words are wise as your sword is true" [[Pthia]] smiles.  She begins to make her way to the others.

"Thank you [[Mariah]], for bringing me here and showing me Truth" she prays softly.  A penguin interrupts her and asks if she would like some herring.  She pushes past it and follows the invisible rope to the rest of the group.

"Though it tests me greatly, thank you!"

<div right tip>Session \\ 2007-9-30 </div>

  * party moves out of sight of battling elementals, experiments with wild magick, tries to find spell to help [[Khouhn]]
  * [[Veelas]] conjures //secure shelter//, [[Smike]] //summons// shark
  * [[Pthia]] loses control of a spell, everybody falls up off the ground--[[Thacia]] manages to hold onto ground with everybody hanging off her (still tied with rope).  Effect wears off in a few heartbeats and all fall back to ground
  * [[Pthia]] doesn't want to attempt anymore spells, //air walks// to try find opening [[Khouhn]] used off side of waterfall
  * [[Smike]] //greater teleports// [[Veelas]] & [[Thacia]] to [[Khouhn]]'s location in tunnel
  * [[Pthia]] climbs in to join
  * party (all still invisible except [[Khouhn]]) travels in darknees up tunnel, ends in barrow

==== Limbo+4hrs ====

{{ http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/MM35_gallery/MM35_PG33.jpg}}

  * see a horrific beast with mutable, ever-changing, chaotic form.  New tentacles emerge and old ones are reabsorbed continuously.
  * see 20' high octagonal gate free-standing behind beast.  Bolts of crackling energy from octagon seem to be feeding beast, more energy forms ball of light at center of "gate".
  * [[Veelas]] attempts to wild magick //greater invisibility// but backfires; instead huge, deep crater opens up under [[Veelas]].  [[Pthia]] //air walks// and catches [[Veelas]]; [[Smike]] grabs onto [[Khouhn]] (still in tunnel, on edge of chasm).
  * [[Khouhn]] set [[Smike]] down behind him, both visible now.
  * chaos beast moves in to investigate with tentacles flailing 
  * [[Thacia]] charges (out of //invisibility sphere//) to engage and protect party still recovering from spell backfire
  * [[Pthia]] sets [[Veelas]] down and shoots at beast from cover of hole (still //air walking//
  * [[Khouhn]] puts on [[Smike]]'s //spiderclimb// slippers
  * beast barely scrapes [[Thacia]] with a stalk.  [[Thacia]] screams horribly and melts into puddle of goo
  * [[Veelas]] thinks he's lost [[Thacia]], tries to //chain lightning// beast--instead turns its //flesh to stone//
  * [[Smike]] in tunnel doesn't know what's going on, tries to wild magick.  Backfires: //forceful hand// pushes him steadily away from beast, back down tunnel
  * [[Khouhn]] climbs out of hole to engage, sees petrified beast and goo-ified [[Thacia]].
  * beast melts back to flesh, attacks.
  * [[Thacia]], through sheer force of will, reconstitutes herself and attacks
  * [[Khouhn]] & [[Thacia]] (still wibbly) finish off beast
  * [[Smike]] pushed to very edge of hole

<div right tip>Session \\ 2007-10-09 </div>

  * [[Pthia]] studies portal
  * [[Smike]] pushed out hole through waterfall, //messages// "Help!", //featherfalls//
  * [[Pthia]] //airwalks// to help [[Smike]]
  * [[Khouhn]] touches arcing electricity in portal with axe, gets electrocuted and thrown back
  * [[Thacia]] lays hands on [[Khouhn]]
  * [[Pthia]] chases down [[Smike]], still falling and being followed by //forceful hand//
  * [[Thacia]] detects stunningly powerful evil _in_ symbols on portal
  * //forceful hand// expires, [[Pthia]] brings [[Smike]] back
  * [[Thacia]] loses control over form, agonizingly starts to melt again
  * [[Veelas]] tries to wild magick help, accidentally conjures another //forceful hand// that starts pushing [[Thacia]] away
  * [[Khouhn]] destroys //hand//
  * [[Thacia]] literally pulls herself together but looks weaker.  Party concentrates on portal to try get [[Thacia]] back to material plane
  * [[Veelas]] notices that each symbol is a crystaline container with a shape moving inside.  Entities contained may power gate or may block gate.  We can't control power so we hope that by releasing entities we remove block.
  * [[Pthia]] shoots arrow at //Air// crystal, shatters it
  * Huge Air Elemental (30+ feet) released, attacks us
  * [[Thacia]] & [[Khouhn]] try to hold it off while party flees
  * [[Smike]] //animorphs// into bat & flies into tunnel entrance (ready for escape)
  * [[Veelas]] tries to wild magick //symbol of fear// but loses control and inflicts on himself; runs around wildly in panic
  * [[Thacia]] near death, still battles on
  * [[Pthia]] shoots at //Fire// crystal, breaks it.  (Sees two streams of energy from broken crystals have stopped.)
  * Huge Fire Elemental emerges, attacks Air Elem.  

<div right tip>Session \\ 2007-10-28 </div>

  * air & fire elementals part, approach party
  * [[Thacia]] prepares to defend while [[Khouhn]] grabs panicked [[Veelas]]
  * [[Smike]] (as bat) wild magicks //ray of enfeeblement// on air elemental
  * air elemental turns into giant whirlwind while fire elemental moves in and attacks [[Khouhn]] & [[Veelas]]
  * [[Thacia]] charges in and drives sword up to hilt into flaming center of fire elemental.  It was a legendary blow but the elemental shrugs it off to attack [[Khouhn]] & [[Veelas]].  Both caught on fire.
  * [[Smike]] //fireballs// air elemental and hides in tunnel
  * [[Pthia]] tries to //command// fire elemental but fails
  * whirlwind spins around room, throwing [[Pthia]] to the ground
  * wind blows out fire on [[Khouhn]], [[Veelas]] smothers own flames
  * [[Thacia]] moves to stargate, tries to distract fire elemental from [[Veelas]]
  * [[Khouhn]] yells to [[Thacia]]: "Turn glass!"
  * [[Thacia]] dissolves again but manages to reconstitute herself.  Tries to turn the water crystal but can't so she breaks it
  * huge water elemental emerges, immediately rushes at fire elemental nemesis
  * [[Khouhn]] throws [[Veelas]] into tunnel just before air elemental whirlwind picks [[Khouhn]] & [[Pthia]] up
  * [[Thacia]] sees hope, with last strength she breaks earth crystal to release huge earth elemental
  * humming sound starts to grow, glowing center of portal grows brighter, more focused
  * whirlwind breaks [[Khouhn]]'s neck, throws him & [[Pthia]] to ground, rushes to attack earth elemental
  * [[Veelas]] was fleeing along tunnel with panic, comes to senses just on edge before tumbling out, //hastes// himself and rushes back
  * [[Pthia]], with prayers exhausted, heals [[Khouhn]] with scroll
  * glowing ball reduces to singularity, sucks up elementals, & forms wormhole.  Looks like it's the prime material plane.
  * bat-[[Smike]] flies through
  * rest of party follows w/ [[Thacia]] forcing all others through before she enters

==== 8am (Redux) ====
  * find ourselves back where we left, no time appears to have passed
  * party sorely injured, //rope tricks//. [[Veelas]] stays up to care for [[Thacia]], will take an extra few hours to rest after party wakes
